chapter 1 - food tech

unit 1

What were some challenges hunter-gatherers faced?

• Food shortages from climate change or overhunting

• Starvation after disasters like droughts

• Constant moving to find food (physically hard)

• Had to carry all their belongings

• Hard to raise many kids while always moving

What types of foods did hunter-gatherers gather?

• Fruits

• Roots

• Nuts

• Seeds

• Honey (in some regions)

What types of foods did hunter-gatherers hunt?

• Big animals like deer and bison

• Smaller animals like rabbits and birds

• Fish from lakes, rivers, and coasts

What is a hunter-gatherer?

A hunter-gatherer is someone who gets food by hunting animals, fishing, and gathering wild plants.

• They moved often (nomadic).

• Lived in small groups.

• Shared food equally.

• No strict leaders—everyone was equal.

What are the challenges with climate, food supply, and population for early humans?

• Climate: Sudden climate changes (like cooling and drying) made it harder to find food. Example: 12,900–11,700 BCE saw cooler, drier weather, causing starvation.

• Food Supply: They relied fully on nature. When big animals died out or droughts happened, food became scarce.

• Population: They had to limit population to avoid food shortages. As people settled and had more children, the population grew too fast for the food supply.

What are agricultural food systems?

The establishment of early permanent settlements near water sources to grow crops and domesticate

animals.

What are chinampas?

Plant beds built by Mayan farmers on floating plots of land.

What does it mean to cultivate?

To deliberately sow and tend a crop on nearby land.

What is domestication?

The process of using selective breeding to make wild plants and animals more useful to humans.

What is a food system?

The path that food travels from paddock to plate.

Who are hunter-gatherers?

Humans who obtain food from nature by hunting animals and gathering wild plants.

What are sedentary hunter-gatherer communities?

Groups of people who settled near rich food resources.

What is swidden farming?

A technique involving slashing and burning forest plants to create fields for crops.

Where do the Mbuti people live?

In the Ituri Forest, a tropical rainforest in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

What types of food do the Mbuti obtain from the rainforest?

Animal: crabs, pigs, monkeys, etc. Plant: yams, mushrooms, berries, etc.

Why did early people develop agriculture?

To reduce food unpredictability and stay in one place to care for crops and animals.

How did climate change affect food sources?

It caused extinction of large game animals and changed crop growth patterns.

What are the effects of food scarcity due to climate change?

Tribes went to war, built permanent homes, and started agricultural development.

How did settlements improve food production?

By cultivating wild plants, selecting better seeds, and storing surplus grain.

How did domesticated animals help early humans?

Provided food, clothing, and help with farming tasks like ploughing.

Where was Mesopotamia located?

Modern-day Iraq and parts of Syria and Turkey.

How did Mesoamericans adapt to food scarcity?

By cultivating wild plants and storing surplus food.

What was the main difference in domestication between Mesoamerica and Mesopotamia?

Mesoamerica focused on plants, Mesopotamia on both plants and animals.

What were key factors in the development of agriculture?

Reliable water supply, fertile land, landscape adaptation, and farming tools.

How did Sumerians develop irrigation?

They built canals, embankments, and channels to divert river water for farming.

What is terraced farming?

Building terraces into mountain slopes to grow crops on flat surfaces.

What farming tools did Mesoamericans use?

wooden digging sticks.

What are the 'three sisters' crops?

Maize, beans, and squash grown together for mutual support and soil health.

What irrigation methods did Mesoamericans use?

Raised beds, pet kot orchards, and floating chinampas on rivers.

What crops did Mesopotamians grow?

Barley, wheat, oats, lentils, dates, and various fruits and vegetables.

What farming tools did Sumerians use?

ploughs, oxen, sickles.

What are key features of hunter-gatherer communities?

They relied on hunting animals and gathering wild plants. They were often nomadic and lived in small groups.

How did geography and seasons impact the food available to hunter-gatherers?

Food availability was highly seasonal and dependent on the local environment, which could limit their diet.

What are some strengths of hunter-gatherer communities?

They had a diverse diet, strong knowledge of local ecosystems, and were less vulnerable to crop failure.

What challenges did hunter-gatherer communities face?

Climate change, limited food supply, population growth, and unpredictable food sources.

What is the domestication of animals?

Selectively breeding wild animals to make them more useful to humans (e.g. goats, sheep, oxen).

Why did agriculture begin to develop?

To create a more stable food supply as big game animals declined due to climate change.

What types of foods were available to early agricultural communities?

Grains (wheat, barley, maize), legumes (beans, lentils), vegetables, fruit (dates, grapes), and dairy/meat from domesticated animals.

What challenges did early agricultural systems face?

Climate change, irrigation difficulties, finding fertile land, and maintaining a consistent food supply.

What are some health benefits of early agricultural diets?

Increased nutritional intake, especially from grains and legumes, leading to population growth.

How did climate change contribute to agricultural development?

It led to the extinction of large game animals and changed crop distribution, pushing humans to farm.

What is swidden farming?

Slash-and-burn agriculture to create fertile land for a few years before moving to a new area.

What is terraced farming and where was it used?

Building step-like fields into hillsides to farm in mountainous regions, common in Mesoamerica.

What tools did early Mesopotamian farmers use?

Simple ploughs pulled by oxen, seed ploughs, sickles, and tools made from clay, stone, and timber.

What irrigation systems did early farmers develop?

Mesopotamians used canals and embankments; Mesoamericans used raised beds, chinampas, and limited irrigation.